Power
It was so dark. Where was he? Ryou was pretty sure that his eyes were open but he still couldn't see anything. His head had stopped hurting and he no longer felt so bad; a good sign. Ryou was lying down on something soft so he couldn't be on the floor of his room anymore, but where was he then? Trying to look around he sat up but, feeling dizzy, he flopped back down.
Suddenly the lights went on, blinding him and a person came to the room.
"Oh good, you're awake." It was the nurse's voice and Ryou was starting to see her too.
"I'm in... nurse's office?" he asked and got a nod from the nurse.
"Your friend found you from your room. What happened to you?"
"You don't know? I... just started to feel sick all of a sudden and passed out..."
The nurse frowned. "Well, you got no physical injuries that I could find, and you're not cursed or anything like that. Other than that, I really don't know..."
That was weird. Weren't nurses supposed to know all this stuff? "Oh..."
"You should maybe get some sleep, it's 6 AM and if you're feeling well enough, you're going to school tomorrow. Your friend was really worried by the way so I'll inform him," the nurse told and started to leave. "Do you want a night light?"
"Yes, please." Ryou didn't like to be in complete darkness. He remembered that he had Bakura's class today, first thing in the morning. The night light went on and he decided that he wouldn't miss the class if he could help it so he tried to get some sleep. Though it bothered him that he had no idea what had happened to him, and neither did the nurse. He had some difficulty to go to sleep but eventually he managed that and drifted away into a slumber.
xxxxxxx
"Ryou!" Malik yelled the second he entered the school building.
"Hi... What are you doing here?"
"I heard you might be coming to school so I waited for you. How are you feeling? What the hell happened yesterday?" his friend asked.
"I'm fine now, actually I feel quite good. I have no idea what happened though... The nurse couldn't say either." Ryou was feeling much better now that he had gotten some sleep last night. All the dizziness and headache was gone, he felt more than ready to face whatever was in store for him today.
"That's good. Weird though that the nurse didn't know, maybe you should ask from the curing or healing teacher."
"Yeah, I will, I have curing today anyway," Ryou said and attempted to leave to class so that he wouldn't be late.
"Hey, what are you doing here by the way? I thought your day didn't start until ten," Malik asked and kept him in place for a while.
"I'm going to dark arts class again," Ryou said hesitantly, knowing that he would hear of it later.
Malik grinned. "I see... Just don't mention that to our curing teacher, he'll freak. Anyways, got to go or I'll be late from class, bye!"
Ryou too had to hurry before he was late, he only had a minute to get to class, luckily it was on the first floor. He ran a bit but made it just before the teacher closed the door.
"Just in time," Bakura said, Ryou smiled awkwardly and went in, heading for his seat on the front row. His shoulder was grabbed before he made it and he came to a sudden stop.
"How are you feeling? I heard that you had to spend the night in the nurse's office," the teacher asked and looked at him as if inspecting him. Ryou thought it was weird that he cared; he seemed so cold and uncaring.
"I'm fine..." Bakura narrowed his eyes a bit. "Honestly, I feel much better now, I just felt sick yesterday," Ryou assured and Bakura let go of his shoulder.
"Good, go to your seat."
Ryou did and the class started. All the students seemed to be in a bad mood today for some reason and there was some innuendo from the teacher, about how they should have gotten better test results if they really were in the advanced level.
"Ok, who has read the extra book for this class? Raise your hand," the teacher asked and no one did. "No one?"
"I didn't know we had to read that... The word 'extra' means that we don't have to, right?" one student asked.
"I thought you wouldn't have to, since it's just mostly reviewing the basics, but seeing how badly you all are doing, I really wish you would read it, that is if you don't want to fail the next test too," Bakura said. "So you will all have to read it." He took out a huge book with black covers and placed it on the table for everyone to see.
Much to Ryou's surprise it was the book he had wanted for Christmas last year. Malik had got it for him, wondering why he wanted it, and he had read it through a long time ago. The reason why he had wanted it was simply his hunger for knowledge. Ryou hesitantly raised his hand.
"Yes?" Bakura asked when he noticed his raised hand.
"I have read that book..." Ryou said quietly.
"At least someone has. Too bad it's the mage who isn't even supposed be in this class, isn't it?" The question was directed to the rest of the class. Ryou felt a bit bad when he had given a reason to further put down all the advanced state warlocks but it went away when he heard something like 'geek' being mumbled among the older students; now he just felt angry. It was their own fault if they didn't put any effort in their studies.
The rest of the class went by normally, it was interesting like the last time. It ended soon and it was time for Ryou and the rest of the class to head for their next class. When Ryou was backing up his stuff, namely a notebook and pen not owning the book for this class, Bakura came to talk to him again.
"Ryou." The boy looked up at him from his pack. "Since you don't have anything else in this period, I think you should keep coming to this class."
Ryou hesitated for a while. "I guess that would be alright... Do I need to get the book or other things for the class?"
"No, you'd be mostly listening since you're not attending all the classes anyway."
"Ok, um... Can I ask you something?" Ryou asked carefully.
"Sure."
"Why... Why do you want me to come to your class?" He wanted to know since he found it a bit weird that a warlock would want to teach a mage.
"Because you intrigue me," Bakura said and smirked at the slight blush on Ryou's cheeks, caused by the straight forward answer.
"Uh, I should go now..." Ryou told and quickly left the room.
xxxxxxx
After lunch Ryou had curing so he decided to bring up the strange symptoms from yesterday with the teacher. So after the class ended he went to talk to the teacher about it. The teacher frowned at the stuff Ryou told and took his time to do a small inspection.
"I really don't see anything wrong with you, maybe you should have come to me yesterday," the teacher said.
"I couldn't do that while I was unconscious..." Ryou mumbled and the teacher slightly glared at him. Ryou was quick to smile politely. "Well, thanks for your time but I really should get going." With that he left, not wanting to be lectured about back talking to a teacher.
The next class was theory of white magic and he was almost late already. It was a boring class so he just doodled on his notebook through it or faked to be interested. He was just happy that the school day would end after this class and he could get back to the dormitories.
xxxxxxx
Bakura was not a happy fellow after his work day ended. That stupid geezer had complained to him about some students complaining to their parents about him and the parents complaining to the school about making their little babies record look bad. That and the guy seemed to have something personal against him. Besides it was the students own fault if they didn't study enough or lacked the ability. Sometimes Bakura had to wonder if it had been the right choice to come to this school. There had to be something more productive he could be doing with his time.
Then he remembered that he did have his little "project" under work. It made his mood at least a bit better. It was good to know that there was something, or someone, in this rotten school worth his time and effort. He had been on the edge with the boy having to go to the nurse after his probe but that had just been a minor side effect, nothing to worry about and nothing that could cause further damage. As the saying goes; "shit happens" and he had been... worried that something had gone wrong after all but everything seemed to be fine.
All he needed to do now was to wait. Ryou would sooner or later come to him on his own accord and then he would just have to see if his work had paid off. It was likely that it had but one shouldn't be too confident.
xxxxxxx
Ryou had enjoyed his free time yesterday, despite the fact that Malik had pestered him about the new addition to his schedule. Now, however, was time for work again as he was heading to the healing class with the pestering blond. It annoyed him that everyone, yes everyone, seemed to think that he had something going on with Bakura when the fact was that he didn't. So what if he "intrigued" the teacher? It was no big deal, he was sure it was only because of the apparently good impression he had made back then. But no matter how many times he told that to the curios people, including his best friend, they still wouldn't leave him alone.
So now he was sitting across the classroom from his friend and trying to ignore all the whispers around him. It was healing class so they were sitting on the floor and the teacher was going on about something or other. They had traumatized animals in the classroom today and some of them were running around. Finally the teacher gave them a permission to pick an animal and heal him or her. Everyone went around, trying to get "the best" animal, as long as it wasn't the huge snake, and started to work on it. Malik of course, being the weird person he is, went and picked the snake, and Ryou was left with a small bird.
The bird shook violently as if in constant cold and Ryou had no trouble catching the bird as it seemed to be unable to move, aside from the constant shaking. He had just figured out how to go with this when a voice spoke to him. It wasn't a normal voice either, it was a voice from the other side.
Hello boy. What are you up to with that bird? the voice asked. It was much louder than Ryou had used of hearing and he had to wonder why.
"I'm trying to make him better," Ryou told in a quiet voice, not to attract attention and spare himself from starting rumors that not only he was in relationship with a teacher, he was also insane.
Oh? Can I posses it? Please?
"No. I'm trying to work here." He just hoped the dead could take a hint.
YOU DENY ME? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? Apparently they couldn't... Now the ghost was angry too, great...
"No, I do not. Please enlighten me."
I AM THE GREAT-! WHAT? NOOO! DON'T TAKE ME AWAY!
Suddenly the ghost started to scream and plead, making Ryou look up from his work. What he saw froze him to the very core of his being and he would never forget it as long as he lived.
Before his eyes the great gates of the underworld were opening. The two gate guardians were dragging them open slowly and some unexplainable force was pulling the screaming ghost in. Now that the gates were fully open, the soul was sucked in, joining to the screaming mass of tormented souls. Even though the sight was horrifying, Ryou simply couldn't take his eyes off of it, this was something he would, hopefully, see only once in his whole life time. Once the ghost was in, the gates started to close, just as slowly they had opened as the guardians pulled them shut.
"Ryou? Ryou! Are you alright?" a familiar voice pulled him out of the trance like state and the gates disappeared. It was Malik's voice and Ryou turned to slowly look at him, eyes still wide.
"I saw it Malik... The gates, they were..."
"Stop chatting and get back to work!" the teacher yelled at them.
"Excuse us! My friend just saw the gates and he isn't in the shape to be doing any work so lay off woman!" Malik yelled back.
"Don't speak to your teacher like that young man! And what do you mean, 'saw the gates'? He isn't supposed to be able to do that."
"Well, he did anyway!"
Ryou realized that he indeed wasn't supposed to see them. He did talk to the dead but his powers didn't include being able to see that far. That caused him to panic slightly and his breathing became irregular.
"Take it easy there Ryou. Just breathe, ok?"
"She's right, I wasn't... I wasn't supposed to..." he said, panic in his voice.
"Does anyone have a paper bag or something?" Malik asked from the rest of the class that had gathered around. Someone summoned one and handed it to Ryou who took it.
This was just too much for him. That wasn't supposed to happen god dammit! It was out of his power! His breathing was starting to get calmer and he pushed away the bag.
"Are you alright?" Malik asked and the teacher had knelt next to him too, looking worried.
"Yes, I'm...I'm fine. That was just a bit of a shock that's all..." Ryou told and tried to smile but it was faint. "I wasn't supposed to and... yeah, thanks."
"Can you tell me what happened?" the teacher asked. Ryou told her everything about the ghost and about the gates. She just looked more and more worried as he went on, with a frown settled on her features.
"Wow..." was all that Malik said after Ryou's story.
"Ryou... I think you should go talk to the teacher of the advanced dark arts, he knows a lot more about these things than I, or anyone else in this school," she said finally. Ryou just nodded, getting up.
"You should probably go right away, ask your friend what we did and do your homework properly," she finished and sent Ryou off. "He should be in his classroom," she called after him as Ryou walked out of the door.
xxxxxxx
The trip to the classroom seemed to take forever but Ryou made it eventually. He knocked on the door hesitantly and waited for an answer. A call of "Come in!" was heard and he stepped in. It seemed that Bakura was working on some tests, sitting behind the teacher's desk but as Ryou stepped in he looked up from the pile of paper. Ryou could have sworn that a look of satisfaction flashed on his face.
"Ryou, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be in class?" Bakura asked and Ryou closed the door behind him.
"I was sent here by the healing teacher... Stuff happened in class and she thought you would know what is going on," Ryou told, now standing near the front of the desk.
"I see... What kind of 'stuff'?"
"I was trying to heal this bird when a ghost spoke to me, it got quite angry at me and then... then I saw the gates..." Ryou finished quietly and Bakura eyed him.
"And this wouldn't normally happen?"
"No... Except for the dead speaking to me, they have done that all my life." He remembered the first time; he had been very young and scared out of his wits that time.
Bakura stood up and started to circle around the boy, looking at him intently and making Ryou feel terribly uneasy.
"Um, Bakura?" he questioned the teacher's actions. Bakura's mouth broke into a grin that scared Ryou a bit. He had this gleam in his eyes that made them look almost as if they were red like blood.
"Oh, this is perfect..." he said finally, after circling a while.
"What is?" Ryou asked, feeling more uneasy by the second. He didn't understand what was going on. Bakura decided to end his circling and leaned on the edge of his desk.
"Say, Ryou... Has there been any other increase in your magical power lately? Like are you able to do something easier than before?" Bakura asked, not answering to Ryou's question and ignoring it.
"Not that I have noticed... Why?" Ryou said hesitantly.
"Let's test it out then, shall we?" Once again Ryou's question went ignored by the teacher as he dug out a small, shining knife. Ryou took a step back.
"W-what are you going to do with that?" he asked, starting to freak out. What was going on?
His question was ignored again as Bakura held the knife up in the air before sliding the blade down his own arm, drawing blood and cutting a rather deep wound. Was he insane?! Ryou didn't need the answer to that question; it was obvious enough to him as he backed away more, only to have his arm grabbed by the teacher with his healthy hand.
"You're supposed to be good at curing, now cure me and see if it's any easier than it used to be," Bakura told, holding up his bleeding arm, not even seeming to care that it must have hurt like hell.
Ryou stared wide eyed for a moment before realizing what he was expected to do. "O-ok..." Ryou took a hold of the arm and began to cure it. It was fine again in no time at all and Ryou was amazed that he had been able to do that so easily. He looked up at the teacher's face. It held a victorious expression as he grinned, showing his unnaturally long canines.
"Excellent," was all he said. Ryou was still looking rather freaked out and wanted nothing more than to run a way from the insane teacher but said teacher was still holding his arm captive so he wouldn't be going anywhere.
"I think I should-" Ryou started but was cut short.
"No, you shouldn't do anything, except come and join me during lunch hour in this same room, I'll have to make some things very clear," the teacher said and approached Ryou who tried to back way but couldn't because of the hand still holding him in place.
"Back off!" Ryou yelled and used his self defense pulse, which was supposed to send the other farther way and hopefully make him let go. It didn't work as planned though as Bakura answered it with his own magic, still grinning widely. He licked his lips and pulled the boy, who was now in panic, closer by the arm.
"I love your power," Bakura whispered, breath brushing Ryou's face, and captured his lips in sudden kiss. It blew Ryou off and he let out a strangled sound as Bakura bit his lower lip, then nibbling and sucking it almost hungrily, and giving the abused lip one final lick before pulling away. Bakura smirked at the shocked boy once more before just disappearing into the thin air, using some sort of transporting spell.
Ryou stumbled back and sat on the floor, unable to comprehend the situation. What had just happened? Ryou touched his lip absently, and saw blood on his fingers after he pulled them away. He licked his wounded lip, tasting his own blood. The question of 'What just happened?' rang through his head as he sat on the cold floor, not knowing what he should do.
